TOP HONORS: Valley athletes garner all-conference, all-state accolades

WASILLA — Last week, Wasilla senior McKenna Dinkel and Palmer junior Clayton Southwick were honored as the top players in the Northern Lights Conference. Now each is seen as one of the best in the state.

Dinkel and Southwick, who earned NLC Player of the Year honors, have been named first-team all-state by the Alaska Association of Basketball Coaches.

Dinkel helped lead the defending 4A state champions to another NLC girls title last week in Kodiak. Wasilla head coach Jeannie Hebert-Truax said Dinkel has shown versatility throughout her career and can help her team in a variety of ways.

“She can post up. We can pull her out to the perimeter. She also has a pretty good midrange game,” Hebert-Truax said.

Hebert-Truax said Dinkel’s basketball I.Q. allows Wasilla to use the senior in so many different roles.

“She knows and understands the game of basketball,” Hebert-Truax said. “One of her major attributes is she understands the game. Not just her position, but everyone else’s position too.”

Southwick, a three-year starter for the Palmer boys program, established himself as one of the state’s best as a junior.

“I’ve been privileged to coach a lot of good basketball players, but Clayton is probably the most gifted of them all because of his size, and what he can do with his size,” Palmer head coach Chuck Martin, a longtime Valley basketball coach said recently. “He wants to be really good. I love him because he’s so competitive.”

Southwick hit statistical milestones as a junior, passing 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 200 assists in his career.

Dinkel was one of a pair of Warriors named first-team all-state on the girls’ side. Sophomore Olivia Dinkel also earned firs-team all-state honors. Junior Azlynn Brandenburg was named to the 4A girls’ second team.

Colony landed a pair of girls on the all-state list. Junior Alex Carlton was named second team, and junior Amanda Smith was named to the third team. The Wasilla boys had three players honored by the AABC. Senior Isaac Houck and sophomore Daniel Headdings were named to the second team, and senior Kobe Brown earned third-team honors.

Wasilla boys basketball head coach Ryan Engebretsen was named the 4A boys coach of the year.

Houston landed a pair of players on the 3A boys all-state team. Seniors Kade Taylor and Ben Bitler each grabbed third-team honors. Susitna Valley’s Ellie Bietsch was named second-team all-state for the 2A girls.

Warriors lead Valley schools on all-NLC teams

Wasilla, which earned both the NLC girls and boys titles, had a combined nine players on the All-Northern Lights Conference teams.

In addition to NLC Player of the Year McKenna Dinkel, Olivia Davies, Azlynn Brandenburg and Catherine Baham represented the Wasilla girls on the first team. Kaylyn Kelly was named to the second team. Isaac Houck, Daniel Headdings and Kobe Brown were named first-team for the boys. Reilly Devine was named to the second team.

A half-dozen Knights were selected. Alex Carlton and Amanda Smith were named first-team for the Colony girls, and Haylee Duguid grabbed second-team honors. Sullivan Menard was named first-team for the boys, and Nolan Martin and Isaiah Neuner were listed on the second team.

Clayton Southwick earned boys’ player of the year honors for Palmer. Payton Martin was named second-team all-conference for the Moose boys, and Lorna Suaava was named first-team all-conference for the girls.

Colony girls’ mentor Jeff Bowker was named the NLC Coach of the Year.

Valley players named All-Southcentral

Houston landed three seniors on the All-Southcentral squads. Ben Bitler and Kade Taylor earned first-team honors for the boys, and Aspen Ruth was named first-team for the girls.

Kolby Taylor was also named second-team for the boys, and Taylor Moore and Lacy Holmes were named second-team for the girls.

Redington scored its first all-conference selections in school history. Brodie Brooks was named second-team for the boys, and Courtney Crockett was named to the second team for the girls for the first-year varsity programs.

All-Northern Lights Conference

Girls Player of the Year: McKenna Dinkel, Wasilla

Girls Coach of the Year: Jeff Bowker

Girls first team:

McKenna Dinkel, Wasilla; Alex Carlton, Colony; Olivia Davies, Wasilla; Azlynn Brandenburg, Wasilla; Lorna Suaava, Palmer; Amanda Smith, Colony; Catherine Baham, Wasilla.

Girls second team:

Aliann Schmidt, Soldotna; Danica Schmidt, Soldotna; Haylee Duguid, Colony; Brooke Stathite, Kenai; Jaycie Calvert, Kenai; Lara Creighton, Kenai; Kaylyn Kelly, Wasilla.

Boys Player of the Year: Clayton Southwick, Palmer

Boys Coach of the Year: Dave Anderson, Kodiak

Boys first team:

Clayton Southwick, Palmer; Kobe Brown, Wasilla; Augie Cauging, Kodiak; Daniel Headdings, Wasilla; Josh Jackman, Kenai; Sullivan Menard, Colony; Isaac Houck, Wasilla.

Boys second team:

Luke Beiser, Kenai; Payon Martin, Palmer; Louis Rocheleau, Kodiak; Reilly Devine, Wasilla; Nolan Martin, Colony; Isaiah Neuner, Colony.

All-Southcentral Conference

Boys Player of the Year: Tobin Karlberg, Grace.

Boys first team:

Ben Bitler, Houston; Fred Onochie, ACS; Koby Etzwiler, Homer; Brogan Nieder, Grace; Kade Taylor, Houston; Jimmy McGovern, Grace; Sully Hauze, Seward; Brett Dickerson, ACS; Ian Johnson, Nikiski; Sylvanus Edi, ACS; Justin Ellison, Homer.

Boys second team:

Jace Kornstad, Nikiski; Rhett Sieverts, Seward; Jordan Beachy, Homer; Kolby Taylor, Houston; Joel Carroll, Homer; Nik Pahno, Seward; Brian Amirault, Redington; Brodie Brooks, Redington; Collin Smallwood, ACS.

Girls Player of the Year: Bethany Carstens, Nikiski.

Girls first team:

Annie Vanderweide, Grace; Jordan Todd, ACS; Destiny Reimers, ACS; Sarah Laker, Grace; Mary-Kate Parks, ACS; Kelsey Clark, Nikiski; Aspen Ruth, Houston; Ashley Jackson, Seward; Ayla Lapinskas, Seward; Avery Kornstad, Nikiski; Brianna Vollertsen, Nikiski.

Girls second team:

Makenna Shamburger, Grace; Ayla Pitt, Nikiski; Uliana Reutov, Homer; Taylor Moore, Houston; Courtney Crockett, Redington; Kira Keller, ACS; Lacy Holmes, Houston; Jesse Davis, ACS; Chaunice Carr, ACS.

Alaska Roof Coatings/Alaska Association of Basketball Coaches All-State Team

4A Girls:

Player of the Year: Alissa Pili, Dimond

Coach of the Year: Ryan Hales, Chugiak

First team:

Alissa Pili, Dimond; Olivia Davies, Wasilla; McKenna Dinkel, Wasilla; Jahnna Hajdukovich, Dimond; Nicole Pinckney, Chugiak.

Second team:

Ashlynn Burgess, Chugiak; Alex Carlton, Colony; Chasity Horn, Chugiak; Azaria Robinson, East; Tennae Voliva, East.

Third team:

Azlynn Brandenburg, Wasilla; AJ Dela Cruz, Ketchikan; Tya Do, Lathrop; Sandin Kidder, East; Amanda Smith, Colony.

4A Boys

Player of the Year: Moses Miller, East Anchorage

Coach of the Year: Ryan Engebretsen, Wasilla

First team:

Moses Miller, East; Nathan Fromm, Service; Eric Jenkins, Dimond; Marcus Lee, Ketchikan; Clayton Southwick, Palmer

Second team:

Daniel Headdings, Wasilla; Isaac Houck, Wasilla; Trey Huckabey, East; Anthony Parker, Dimond; Chase Saviers, Thunder Mountain

Third team:

Kobe Brown, Wasilla ; Augie Cauging, Kodiak; Eric Kelly, Juneau; Ryan Trailer, Bartlett; Jaden Whiteside, West Valley.

3A Girls

Player of the Year: Rose Mongoyak, Barrow

Coach of the Year: Scott Anderson, Nikiski

First team:

Rose Mongoyak, Barrow; Bethany Carstens, Nikiski; Zoe Krupa, Sitka; Bobbi Mott, Valdez; Annie VanderWeide, Grace Christian.

Second team:

Julie Amaktoolik, Mt. Edgecumbe; Kuutuuq Danner, Barrow; Destiny Reimers, Anchorage Christian ; Jordan Todd, Anchorage Christian; Courtney Williams, Bethel.

Third team:

Alanna Conwell, Kotzebue; Pearl Green, Galena; Maija Hajdukovich, Monroe Catholic; Sarah Laker, Grace Christian; Ashley Ramoth, Kotzebue.

3A Boys

Player of the Year: Tobin Karlberg, Grace Christian

Coach of the Year: Frank Ostanik, Monroe Catholic

First team:

Tobin Karlberg, Grace; Travis Adams, Barrow; Ryan Brantley, Monroe; Devon Davis, Monroe; Micah Helkenn, Delta

Second team:

Seth Auble, Valdez; Paul Bioff, Mt Edgecumbe; Clevon Constantine, Bethel; Anthony Fruean, Barrow; Jayvin Williams, Bethel

Third team:

Ben Bitler, Houston; Bish Gallahorn, Kotzebue; Kade Taylor, Houston; Xavier Ughutevbe, Hutchison; Marjo Vidad, Sitka

2A Girls

Player of the Year: Rylie Lyon, Bristol Bay

Coach of the Year: Heath Lyon, Bristol Bay

First team:

Rylie Lyon, Bristol Bay; Anna Hansen, Bristol Bay; Sharon Hansen, Bristol Bay ; Sierra Virgin, Glennallen; Raquel Salas, Nenana.

Second team:

Tamara Jones, Glennallen; Drena Hayward, Metlakatla; Jordyn Lane, Point Hope; Emma Chase, Petersburg; Ellie Bietsch, Susitna Valley .

Third team:

Aspen Hansen, Craig; Kylie Sisof, Dillingham; Chandler Strickland, Petersburg ; Alexis Russell, Metlakatla; Anna Allen, Wrangell.

2A Boys

Player of the Year: Stewart Conn, Petersburg

Coach of the Year: Rick Brock, Petersburg

First team:

Stewart Conn, Petersburg; Danny Marsden, Metlekatla; Taylor Harvey, Unalakleet; Arctic Ivanoff, Unalaklet; Trevor Wilson, Unalaska

Second team:

Caden Smeaton, Dillingham; Aiden Fields, Glennallen; Wolf Brooks, Petersburg; Carter Price, Unalaska; Trent Stokes, Wrangell

Third team:

Andrew Muma, Cordova; D’Andre Thomas, Effie Kokrine; Bradley Lake, Hooper Bay; Carsen Winter, Metlekatla; Alan McCoy, Petersburg

1A Girls

Player of the Year: Kiah Charlie, Scammon Bay

Coach of the Year: Hershel Sundown, Scammon Bay

First team:

Kiah Charlie, Scammon Bay; Danielle Apassingok, Gambell; Anikan Paniptchuk, Shaktoolik; Sara Stenek, Shishmiref; Lindsey Weyanna, Teller

Second team:

Shauna Koonuk, Aniak; Mariam Kulowiyi, Savoonga; Chiamaka Lebechi, Lumen Christi; Elaina Mack, King Cove; Deeann White, Ninilchik

Third team:

Miranda Demientieff, Akiak; Emily Henry, Golovin; Taya Marvin, Klawock; Vera Fefelov, Nikolaevski; Beverly Tom, Stebbins

Fourth team:

Alison Homekingkeo, Koyuk; Shea Matthias, Stebbins; Rhiannon Nanolook, Newhalen; Olivia Delgado, Ninilchik; Halley Ambrose, St. Michael

1A Boys

Player of the Year: Austin White, Ninilchik

Coach of the Year: Nick Finley, Ninilchik

First team:

Austin White, Ninilchik; Shane Bruns, Brevig Mission; Everson Paniptchuk, Shaktoolik; Ian Samuelson, King Cove ; Wilson Ungwiluk, Gambell

Second team:

Noah Leaf, Cook Inlet Academy; Nathan Yockey, Klawock; Nikit Fefelov, Nikolaevsk; Colten Mack, Sand Point; Jared Topkok, Teller

Third team:

Eric Daniels, Elim; Devin Woods, Minto; Ethan Evan, Shaktoolik; Elijah Kulowiyi, Savoonga; Jeremiah Iyantunguk, Shishmaref

Fourth team:

Jerome Takak, Elim; Oswoldo Moses, Golovin; Ian Dewey, Koyuk; Theodore Sundown, Scammon Bay; Benny Atchak, Stebbins